Growing up as a geek in the 90s was depressing. It wasn't a great time for comics, and it was a worse time for comic-book movies. There was the odd one or two good movies, even if they took the material in a very different like The Mask did. The rest were Spawn, Steel, The Shadow, Judge Dredd and The Phantom.
For those born after this dark period, the number of shonky comic book movies is heavily outnumbered by a lovingly crafted, big-budget tribute to the characters we love. Most of these have been tied directly to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most successful film franchise in history, and that series has just wrapped up its 23 movie long 'Infinity Saga'. Time to take a look back at what has passed and pick some favourite moments. In no particular order.
TANK MISSLEQuite a few lists covering this topic include the 'I am Iron Man' scene that capped out the original adventure. Makes sense, but it's not the moment where Tony Stark became Iron Man. That happens here:
IMMIGRANT SONG INTENSIFIES Thor RagnarokMany, many years later the MCU would stretch the boundaries of it's style, and no-one did this better than Taika Waititi. Few moments give you goosebumps like the psychedelic rock classic by Led Zepplin backing Thor's stunning comeback attack.
Among Thor regaining his powers, Hulk battling a giant zombie wolf and Valkyrie taking on hordes of the undead there are some great little moments. Skurge realises what he's been party to and throws down his axe, and Loki slyly seems to have known what Thor was capable of from the start.
THE SNAP Avengers: Infinity WarLet's get this mind-melting finale out of the way now.
DANCE OFF Guardians of the GalaxyWinding things back to an early Infinity Stone moment, this occurs when Ronan the Accuser has defeated all who stand in his way and is about to wipe out a planet. Star-Lord, of the Guardians of the Galaxy, makes an absurd strategic move and challenges the perplexed warlord to a 'dance off'. This is simply a distraction, however, so Star-Lord could grab the Power Stone from Ronan. This should immediately kill him. Instead he holds his ground and grips the stone as it physically burns him away. Amid visions of his mother and his team helping carry the burden, Star-Lord closes his emotional story threads and reveals that there's more to him than we initially thought.
But it's when Rocket's little paw enters the screen to grab onto Drax that gets me.
KAREN Spider-Man HomecomingSurprisingly this isn't about an MCU hero dedicated to stopping black people from birdwatching or painting their own house. Rather it's a revealing and charming moment between Spider-Man and his suit. Or rather, the AI system created by Tony Stark. Whilst trapped in a warehouse and testing his new suit capabilities, Peter gives his new partner a name and, in a sense, a personality.
By the way, Karen is voiced by Jennifer Connolly. I feel like I should've known that.
"OH, SHIT." Thor RagnarokTime to acknowledge the funniest moment in the franchise, courtesy of Loki by way of Sir Anthony Hopkins.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TAKE #1 The AvengersGetting that first movie together was a remarkable achievement. For those who weren't around when it was announced, there were plenty who thought that this was a pipe-dream, unrealistic ambition.
If this scene doesn't convince you that they pulled it off, I don't know what will.
AVENGERS ASSEMBLE TAKE #2 Avengers: EndgameGood to see they didn't rest on their laurels. If you weren't impressed by a superhero team-up, try an army on for size.
HAMMER TIME Avengers: Age of UltronWeirdly enough the best scene involving Thor's hammer Mjölnir doesn't take place during battle. In a quiet moment the OG Avengers and pals swap friendly banter about Mjölnir and each attempt to lift it. It's a fun moment that sows a subtle seed for later events.
SAM AND BUCKY Captain America: Civil WarNot all Avengers get along, however. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes have only known each other as enemies up until now, but their loyalty to Cap turns them into uneasy allies. It doesn't mean they're going to like it.
SHURI Black PantherOne thing we didn't quite expect with Black Panther was the new smartest person in the world, who comes bundled up in cheekiness and sass. T'Challa's sister Shuri is immediately funny and a brilliant addition to the universe. She's was so immediately popular that she scored a major role in Infinity War and joined the battle in Endgame.
BLACK WIDOW UNLEASHEDNatasha Romanov had one of the more low-key entrances in the MCU...or so it appeared. When thinking back to Iron Man 2, one of the best things was Black Widow's kick-ass fight scenes. She was a permanent fixture right off the bat. Massive shout-out to Heidi Moneymaker, who performs Widow's fight scenes.
BLIND HALLWAYOh, we're doing the TV shows as well. The first season of Daredevil was littered with phenomenal moments and performances. The Kingpin is one of the best villains of the franchise, and Charlie Cox was a brilliant Matt Murdock. In terms of down and dirty, rough and tumble fight scenes this is the best on offer. The hallway fight became a standard in the Netflix show from this point on.
PROPAGANDA SHOWREEL Captain America: The First AvengerWartime propaganda is a peculiar artform. Even when the context is taken into consideration there are some odd things going on there. It's delightful to see an awkward Steve Rogers becoming a poster child for the war effort, the colourful pantomimes being in stark contrast to the reality of the frontline. When visiting the troops, Captain America is mocked by the soldiers. In real life, when Captain America comics were shipped to the WW2 front in Europe, they were a hit with US troops.
T'CHALLA REMEMBERS Avengers: EndgameThe final battle between the combined forces of our heroes and Thanos is packed full of great little moments. We want to highlight the moment Black Panther revealed that HE DID CARE. HE CARED!
We had a hot and cold relationship with Agents of SHIELD. There were some amazing characters but the story was stretched over so many episodes that it feels slowly paced compared to the movies. When they had something big it really stood out. And there's few things as big and the damned Ghost Rider!
"I'VE COME TO BARGIN" Doctor StrangeOne criticism that was levelled at Doctor Strange (aside from the accent, that at least he improved over time) was the similarities to Iron Man. The characters follow a very, very similar character arc. The key difference that they forget to mention is how they resolve. Doctor Strange doesn't use force to succeed. He knows he's outmatched. Instead he relies on his intellect and lateral thinking, a character trait that defines him from then out. For Tony Stark it's problem solving and engineering. For Dr. Strange it's outsmarting every person in the room.
"PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE" Spider-Man HomecomingBeing first in to see most movies is a sweet deal. It means you really don't know what to expect, as no-one is talking about it beyond speculation yet. That means we sat all the way through the long-ass Spider-Man HomeComing credits just to get trolled.
AIRPORT SHOWDOWN Captain America: Civil WarThis fight was amazing. The Russo Brothers set a new bar with this one.
"I THOUGHT YOU'D BE HAPPY TO SEE ME" Thor RagnarokCate Blanchett is a heavy weight actor for any movie, let alone a villain in a Thor sequel. But here she is, Thor and Loki's demented sister and Goddess of Death herself, Hela. This scene is a fantastic monologue, shifting between powerful, funny and sympathetic with ease.
COTTONMOUTHSpeaking of great villains, let's not forget the fantastic Mahershala Ali's scene stealing turn as gangster boss Cottonmouth.
KILLMONGER'S CHALLENGE Black PantherWe're not going to talk about great MCU villains without mentioning Killmonger, brought to us by a Michael B. Jordan who is absolutely acting everyone out of the room (is that a saying?). This mass-murdering mercenary and his terrifying campaign kinda had us on his side for a while.
J. JONAH JAMESON Spider-Man Far From HomeNot a villain, but a delightful butthead. The surprise cameo at the end of Far From Home featured the only actor who can fill J.K. Simmons...J.K. Simmons. We can't wait to see more of him!
THE PURPLE MAN Jessica JonesThe title of the scariest villain in this franchise goes to Kilgrave. Presumed dead at the beginning of the series, this unrepentant abuser and rapist haunted Jessica Jones long before he reappeared in her life. David Tennant plays the role in full snarly English mode, making Kilgrave all the more disturbing. His ability to command people to do whatever he wants is taken to some very dark depths.
DANVERS ARRIVES Captain MarvelSo...back to the heroes. When things are still looking undetermined for everyone in the final battle against Thanos and his forces. The mad Titan has ordered his artillery to carpet bomb the battlefield, sacrificing his own soldiers as much as his enemy. This is because Scarlet Witch had him cornered and he was scared for himself. Then the bombing stops and the gunships redirect their aim up to the sky. For a moment it's not clear why.
"I KNOW MY VALUE" Agent CarterWhen all the women of Marvel lined up together and made a point of saying that they're going to back each other up in Avenger's Endgame...it caused some cringing. You tried a bit too hard, a bit too late. This was also true of the marketing for Captain Marvel. What really bugs me is that they've all but forgotten this badass...
YONDU MAKES AN EXIT Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2Some of the CGI heavy action scenes of modern cinema fail to engage my attention. I disconnect if it doesn't feel real. Unless it's particularly stylish or fun. Like this.
PETER AND THE VULTURE Spider-Man HomecomingNow to the something less flashy, one of the best written and acted character moments in the series. Peter Parker has arrived to pick up his date for the dance, only to be surprised to learn her father is his foe, The Vulture. Things are tense enough as he drives Peter and Liz to the dance, but then it becomes increasingly clear that he's working out Peter's secret.
THE AVENGERS INITIATIVEWe were already riding high after the game-changing Iron Man blew out minds. Adding this tease at the end laid down a challenge that not only are they going to continue this as a series, but they're going to go bigger than any film franchise had before. I barely dared to think they could do it, but they did. And then some.
GOOSE Captain MarvelKitty!